Indy 500 winner Alex Palou makes plea for NASCAR | Sports News

Fresh off his historic win within the Indianapolis 500, Alex Palou is already seeking to dominate in different areas of motorsport.

On Sunday, Palou coasted down victory lane at Indianapolis Motor Speedway — turning into the first Spanish driver to ever win the Indy 500 and crushing Josef Newgarden’s possibilities of a three-peat within the course of. Thanks to his win in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” which drew more viewers than the Daytona 500, he earned a $3.8 million share of the record-breaking prize purse.

With the first-place end, Palou turned the primary driver since A.J. Foyt in 1979 to emerge victorious in 5 of the season’s first six races. He has moreover gained three of the final 4 championships, together with back-to-back in 2023 and 2024.

As Palou continues to dominate within the IndyAutomobile Series and method a fourth championship, the 28-year-old isn’t shying away from testing his expertise behind the wheel of one other vehicle — particularly a NASCAR Next Gen car.

While making an look on Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour Podcast, Palou expressed curiosity in competing in NASCAR — although solely on a highway course or avenue course. “Oh, absolutely. I’d be down for that,” he stated of racing within the Cup Series.

“I mean, it’s a very different car, it’s a very different kind of racing, but I know I would get smashed by all of you guys on ovals, but I would love to give it a try at a road or a street course.”

Fortunately for Palou, there are 5 highway/avenue programs remaining within the 2025 NASCAR schedule for him to select from, together with the Viva Mexico 250 (June 15), Chicago Street Course (July 6), Toyota/Save Mart 350 (July 13), Go Bowling at The Glen (Aug. 10) and Bank of America ROVAL 400 (Oct. 5).

Though Palou would welcome an alternative to drive within the Cup Series, it seems as if the Spaniard has put his F1 goals to mattress.

“(F1) is not calling me anymore. I still follow it. It’s a huge series. It’s amazing. I’m a big fan, but I don’t think they’re having as much fun as I’m having here,” he instructed the Indy Star’s Nathan Brown.

“I don’t see people celebrating with their wives and their kids as much as we do. I don’t see them hanging in the bus lot or having dinner with their mechanics. I only enjoy driving and having fun and being with my people, so I think (F1) is the total opposite.”

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Palou beforehand signed a deal with McLaren, which kickstarted a bitter feud that resulted in him being sued by Chip Ganassi Racing, his own IndyAutomobile group. “I thought it was a last-chance timing,” he defined. “You win your first IndyCar championship. You’re still young — I know, I’m still pretty young — and maybe you can try, and you can always come back.

“In my opinion, I didn’t have much to lose. Now, if you look back, it’s like, ‘f—, you got yourself into a big chaos. You had something to lose,’ but career-wise, you had nothing to lose. You already had an IndyCar championship. I’m sure Chip would want me back, or any team would welcome me back, and you can try (F1), and if that doesn’t work, you can come back.”